


I know you hate galas

by Theyna_Shipper



Series: Theyna One-Shots [1]
Category: The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Background Jiper, F/F, Gala AU, Party, Theyna - Freeform, but not a lot, gala - Freeform, they drink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-12-21 14:17:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21076271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theyna_Shipper/pseuds/Theyna_Shipper
Summary: Thalia didn't want to go to a gala with Jason, but the lovely host makes up for it.





	I know you hate galas

**Author's Note:**

> Just a one shot Theyna AU. Please leave kudos and comment with prompts or suggestions.

"Thalia, _please_."

"Why can't Piper go with you?"

"Family emergency, came up super suddenly. She said she would deal with it by herself, but now I've got an extra ticket."

Thalia sighed. Piper had bailed on her brother for some charity gala thing, and apparently Thalia was the _only_ person who could go with him. 

"Am I really the only person who you could have asked? Couldn't you go by yourself?"

"Everyone else is all ready going or busy, and you just don't go to these things alone unless you're looking to mingle- which I'm not. Plus, they need everyone with a ticket to show up, for headcount or finance reasons or something."

Thalia groaned. 

"C'mon, sis. The ticket comes with a meal."

"FINE," Thalia said. "But you can't make me where a dress."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Jason promised.

\----

Jason looked surprised when Thalia emerged from her room an hour later. "I _do_ have nice clothes, you know," she said. 

"I didn't say anything," Jason muttered. 

Thalia's "nice clothes" consisted of tailored black pants, a white button-down, a black skinny tie, and a leather jacket cut like a blazer. Her shoes were simple black kitten heels, and she had put a gothic-looking black tulle bow in her hair. She wore a pair of simple silver earrings and a silver bracelet. Jason, meanwhile, wore a simple suit with a blue tie that brought out his eyes. 

"You ready to go?" she asked. Jason nodded. 

\----

Once they were in the car, Thalia set the radio to an alt-rock station and turned it up. After a few minutes, Jason turned it down and turned to Thalia.

"There's no need to be so glum. You know, you might meet someone."

Thalia rolled her eyes. "I don't need to meet someone, Jase. Just because you're in a relationship doesn't mean everyone needs to be. I'll get around to dating sooner or later. 

"You're supposed to date in college, Thals."

"What I'm 'supposed' to do in college is finish my graphic design degree so I can get a job that actually has health benefits. Taking a full course load and working at Pizza Hut to pay my bills just doesn't leave much time for dating."

"Ok, Thalia, I get it. Just- at least try to have fun, for me?"

"If that will make you feel better, I will party like there's no tomorrow," Thalia said. 

"I don't think you need to go that far," Jason said. Thalia turned the music back up. 

\----

They'd rented a hotel ballroom for a "charity gala to create better outreach for LGBT+ teens". Well, if she had to get dragged to a gala, at least it was for a good cause. Jason gave the keys to the valet and led Thalia inside. Instantly, they were swarmed with friends and acquaintances of Jason's. Thalia escaped the choking hoard of people, and was relieved to find an empty seat next to someone she knew. 

"Nico! Hazel! Thank the gods, I didn't realize you were coming,"

"Jason drag you here?" Nico asked. 

Thalia nodded. "Piper had a family emergency."

Hazel leaned in. "You might have fun anyways."

"That's what Jason said."

Nico and Hazel looked so comfortable at a gala like this. Nico, with his black suit and tie and burgundy shirt, hair pulled into a ponytail. Hazel, in a crimson gown with a gold half-tiara set in her cinnamon-toast hair. Thalia suddenly felt uncomfortably aware of how unusual her leather-and-tulle combination was.

Jason walked over and sat down next to them. "Why'd you run away like that? I wanted to introduce you to some people."

"A crowd like that? My patience would have worn thin in about a second. I'm sure they barely noticed."

"Maybe so," Jason said, "But you will have to meet some people."

Thalia stood up. "I'm going to get a drink."

Just then, a pretty girl came came over. Her glossy hair was braided into a crown, while the rest hung down her back. She wore a purple floor length gown, with a halter top and a diamond-shaped over her navel. Gold bangles glistened on her arms, and she was running at speeds that should have been impossible in her stiletto heels. She leaned forward and kissed Jason on the cheek. 

_Does she greet everyone like that?_ Thalia wondered hopefully. 

"I'm so glad you made it! Is Piper here?" the girl asked. 

Jason shook his head. "Something came up. May I introduce you to my sister, Thalia?"

The girl clasped Reyna's hand. "Reyna. So wonderful to meet you. Jason's told me so much about you."

Thalia cocked her head at her brother. "Good things, I hope."

Reyna laughed. "Of course."

Jason and Reyna talked for a few minutes. Thalia tried to add to the conversation, but she quickly realised she had no idea what they were talking about. Flustered, she sat back down and tried not to sneak too many glances at Reyna. 

After greeting Nico and Hazel, Reyna turned to leave. "I have to speak. It was so nice to see all of you, I'll try to stop by again later."

Within a few minutes, waiters were arriving with plates of food, and Reyna started to give her speech. Apparently, she was on the board of donors for the foundation (her family was fabulously wealth, Jason said). Thalia tried to pay attention, despite all of the hyper-professional sounding words, but she got the feeling she was paying more attention to Reyna's face than what she was saying. Eventually, the speech was over, and someone started playing music for dancing. 

Nico leaned over and spoke to Thalia. "You know, you could just talk to her."

"What?" Thalia said, "Talk to whom?"

Nico smirked. "You haven't taken your eyes off Reyna all night. Go on, buy her a drink or ask her to dance. Please. I'm tired of watching you."

Thalia rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll go get us drinks. But not because you told me too."

\----

Reyna sat at the bar, taking a break from dancing. Thalia sat down next to her. 

"Buy you a drink?" Thalia asked. 

Reyna looked over. She seemed surprise (pleasantly?) to see Thalia. 

"Sure," she said. 

Thalia called the bartender. "I'll have a whiskey on the rocks. And she'll have..." Thalia cocked her head inquiringly at Reyna. 

"A Tom Collins." Reyna turned to Thalia. "Men usually order for me."

"I'm special that way," Thalia said. She nodded at the dance floor. "Quite a party."

"Well, the tickets more than pay for themselves. And these galas really are one of our biggest revenue sources," Reyna said.

"I'm glad to see the foundation is doing well?" Thalia said. 

"Well, every donation counts," Reyna replied with a wink.

"Are you courting me for my money or my charming personality? Because I only have one of those."

Reyna laughed. "Care to dance?"

"Don't you have some old billionaire you should be dancing with?" Thalia asked. 

"The old billionaires can wait."

\----

Reyna led Thalia out onto the dance floor. She was a very good dancer, and Thalia was thankful for the semester of dance she'd taken- though she didn't know why she'd needed a PE credit. They tried to make small topic, and eventually got to that constant favorite- college. 

"Well, I'm majoring in graphic design at Parsons. I'd like to work in logos and things like that," Thalia said. 

Reyna nodded. "Political science, NYU."

Thalia raised her eyebrows. "Looking at the next president, are we?"

Reyna laughed. "Think UN ambassador."

They danced and talked for a while longer, but eventually Thalia's feet started to hurt. "How d you stay in those high heels all day?" Thalia asked. 

"Practice." They went back to the bar

"You know, I really hate galas," Thalia said, "But this one has been pretty nice."

\----

Nico and Jason accosted Thalia as soon as she came back to the table. They bombarded her with questions about Reyna, and what they talked about, and why she'd left.

"Just college and the party, normal stuff. She had to go dance with a donor," Thalia said. 

They didn't seem satisfied with this answer, but Thalia wouldn't give them any more. Around eleven, Reyna came back over. She greeted the others briefly, then turned to Thalia. "They're about to close the dance floor. Can I have this last dance?"

"I-- sure-- yeah," Thalia said. Nico was smirking triumphantly.

They took the dance, a much slower one than before, and then spent the next half hour talking- about New York, college, work, food- random stuff. Finally, Jason came and tapped Thalia on the shoulder. "We really should be going."

Thalia looked sadly at Reyna. "I'll see you round?"

Reyna nodded enthusiastically.

Just before they left, Reyna scribbled her number on a cocktail napkin. "I know you hate galas," she said, "So maybe next time we can do coffee?"


End file.
